Richard Armitage has revealed that the third and final Hobbit film, There And Back Again, will be a "celebration" of Middle Earth.

The 42-year-old will reprise his role as dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield in the next instalment of Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings prequel trilogy.

"T he final movie is going to be the celebration of 15 years of visiting Middle Earth. It will be the final time Middle Earth will probably be seen on the big screen so I think it will be quite a nostalgic event for everybody," he said.

Richard, who has starred in TV shows Spooks and Robin Hood, teased: "I think there's a rough edit at the moment and I think it will be a little bit shorter than the other two films."

He considers it an honour to join the legacy.

"I've been a fan since I was a young boy so I feel really privileged that I was asked to be involved, especially because it's probably going to be the last time we see Middle Earth on screen. I feel really proud to be a part of that," he said.

His co-star Aidan Turner, who plays dwarf Kili, said: "We're all dead excited. It's the last instalment. If the second picture's anything to go by, it'll be pretty brilliant. I think it's going to be a pretty big deal."

The actor, who received the best male newcomer Empire Award, added: "It was incredible, to be part of the Tolkien legacy and work with Peter Jackson for two years in New Zealand. This is the kind of thing dreams are made of for an actor. It was amazing. I can't say enough wonderful things about the experience."